Stepdaughter of a wealthy family? The little darling of a Beijing tycoon

Xiao Bao raised her clear, innocent eyes, all traces of malevolence gone, replaced by pure expectation and cautious pleading. Her soft voice trembled slightly as she said, "Sister Shen... all the bad people are gone, and this place is empty. I have nowhere to go, and I don't want to stay here anymore."

He pursed his lips slightly, his eyes exceptionally sincere, and pleaded earnestly, word by word: "Could I... stay with you from now on? I'll be a good girl, I won't cause trouble, I won't hurt anyone, and I can even help my sister with chores. Please don't leave me behind?"

The surroundings fell silent instantly.

Xuanfeng and Lin Yueru exchanged a glance, their hearts deeply moved. They already knew Xiaobao's background: a pitiful child who died young in a chaotic world, trapped in a desolate mountain village for decades, manipulated and exploited by evil cultivators, forced to commit evil against his will, never having the right to choose. Now, awakening from his dream, he was truly pitiful, utterly alone and helpless.

Lin Feng and Ye Shuang sighed softly, their guard completely lifted. They had previously been wary of his sinister aura and eeriness, but now they were filled with pity. Ultimately, he was simply the most innocent victim in this illusory chaos.

All eyes were silently fixed on Shen Jingshu, awaiting her reply.

Shen Jingshu lowered her eyes, looking at the small hand tightly clutching the hem of her clothes, and at the pure yet fearful expectation in the child's eyes.

She could clearly see that the black aura around Xiao Bao had completely faded away, his soul was clean and pure, and he had no evil intentions whatsoever. All his past actions were beyond his control.

After a moment of silence, Shen Jingshu's lips softened slightly, and she gently spoke, concluding, "Okay."

As soon as the word was uttered, Xiao Bao suddenly looked up, his eyes instantly shining brightly, his eyes slightly reddening, and he immediately broke into a big smile, innocent and enthusiastic.

From now on, he will no longer be trapped in endless darkness, no longer be manipulated by others to do evil, and finally have a home and people to follow.

Upon hearing this, Shen Jingshu took out a warm and translucent white jade soul bottle and gently opened the bottle.

"Go inside. There's an older sister there to accompany you; she'll guide and teach you how to cultivate."

Without the slightest hesitation, Xiao Bao's eyes were filled with complete trust. He nodded obediently, his figure transforming into a wisp of green smoke, and smoothly entered the soul bottle.

As soon as it was put into the bottle, Xiao Bao was stunned.

The space inside the bottle was clear and bright, filled with a gentle spiritual energy, without a trace of gloom or oppression. In the very center stood a woman dressed in simple ancient attire, with a beautiful and refined appearance; she was Luo Yurou, who had been meditating inside the bottle.

Just now, Shen Jingshu had secretly transmitted her voice to Luo Yurou, telling her about Xiaobao's background, his years of being controlled by evil cultivators, and his involuntary experiences.

Upon hearing everything, Luo Yurou felt a pang of pity.

She spent her years in seclusion within the Soul Bottle, cultivating in solitude and loneliness, her days monotonous and desolate. Now, suddenly, this round-faced, well-behaved, and adorable little devil appeared, instantly filling her heart with warmth and joy.

Xiao Bao looked timidly at the gentle older sister in front of him, his bright black eyes clear and pure.

Luo Yurou smiled gently, took his small hand, and softly comforted him, "Don't be afraid. From now on, this is your home. I'll stay with you."

She patiently and gently told Xiao Bao about Shen Jing Shu's past deeds, telling him that his master was compassionate, upright and kind, and that as long as he followed her with peace of mind and devoted himself to cultivation, he would surely have a bright future and abundant blessings.

Xiao Bao used to be manipulated by evil cultivators as a puppet. He had never been exposed to orthodox cultivation and had no one to teach him even the most basic methods. His evil aura was passively tainted and grew wildly.

Seeing this, Luo Yurou started from scratch and carefully taught him the orthodox ghost cultivation foundation method, breaking down the incantation word by word, patiently correcting the residual evil habits in his body, and guiding him to cleanse his turbidity and cultivate himself.

She was gentle and meticulous, and taught him with care; he was obedient, diligent, and studious.

In a short while, the two souls, one still and one moving, one large and one small, got along exceptionally well and peacefully in this small jade bottle world, filled with warmth.

With Xiao Bao's fate settled, all the turmoil came to a complete end. The group exchanged glances, tacitly reaching a consensus, and prepared to head down the mountain.

When they arrived, there were only three people in the mountains. After experiencing a dangerous and illusory adventure, they returned with five people on the same trip.

Xuanfeng was still driving, and Shen Jingshu calmly took the passenger seat, while Lin Feng, Ye Shuang, and Lin Yueru sat neatly in the back. The group understood perfectly well that they dared not let Shen Jingshu condescend to sit in the back. This young but incredibly powerful Xuanmen master, treated with utmost respect even by the underworld officials, deserved everyone's utmost respect and courtesy.

Xuanfeng and Lin Yue, who had been guarding outside the ancestral hall, did not witness the entire process of Shen Jingshu's battle against the evil cultivator and the appearance of the Black and White Impermanence. However, as cultivators with keen senses, they clearly detected the lingering aura of the underworld the moment they stepped into the ancestral hall, confirming that ghost messengers had personally arrived there.

The return journey was smooth and long, with a relaxed and peaceful atmosphere.

Lin Yueru was lively and sweet-talking, constantly calling Ye Shuang "sister" affectionately along the way, chattering and pestering the two of them with questions. Her soft and sweet calls of "sister" were warm and sincere, which completely softened Ye Shuang's usually aloof and cold demeanor, making her icy aura melt away and her expression become much gentler.

Ye Shuang, exasperated by her persistence, gradually let go of her distance and slowly recounted the events that unfolded in the ancestral hall—Shen Jingshu's astonishing feats: using a lightning-struck wooden sword to ward off evil spirits and defeat enemies, suppressing the Soul-Capturing Bell with the rhythm of leaves, instantly crippling the limbs of an evil cultivator, sealing acupoints from a distance to disintegrate and self-destruct, and finally alarming the Black and White Impermanence to personally come to express their gratitude and pay their respects.

After hearing the entire thrilling account, Lin Yueru was filled with shock. She had only known that her junior uncle was highly skilled, but she had never imagined that he was so powerful. Looking at Shen Jingshu sitting quietly in the front row, the admiration and respect in her eyes were no less than those of Lin Feng and Ye Shuang, who had personally experienced the battle.

Xuanfeng, standing to the side, was overwhelmed with emotion, unable to calm down for a long time.

The Xuanmen sect has always been a leader in the cultivation world, with profound foundations and numerous masters. But today he truly realized just how terrifying the strength of this suddenly rising, unknown young Master Shen was.

Despite her young age, she already possessed extraordinary abilities, had connections with the underworld, was proficient in magic, and had a compassionate heart, easily crushing veteran evil cultivators.

Given time, this person will surely stir up the entire world of metaphysics, ascend to the top of the metaphysical sect, and become the undisputed number one in the metaphysical sect. It is only a matter of time.